Girdle-stocking combination



Sept. 30, 1969 M. GOTTLIEB 3,469,533

GIRDLE'STOCKING COMBINATION Filed April 14, 1967 Y i Tic l. i

United States Patent 3,469,583 GIRDLE-STOCKIN G COMBINATION MichaelGottlieb, New York, N.Y., assignor to Liberty Fabrics of New York, lnc.,a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 14, 1967, Ser. No. 631,035 Int. Cl.A41c 1/00; A41b 9/04 US. Cl. 128-519 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREBackground of the invention This invention relates to a girdle orpanty-all-in-one for the lower torso in combination with a stocking foruse with womens short skirts, or the like, where a portion of thewearers thigh is often publicly exposed, so that a pleasing to the eyeand decorative line is formed between the top of the stocking and theleg portions of the girdle. Similarly, the invention can be used withother outer ladies garments, such as slacks, to give a smooth lineunderneath, even though no portion of the thigh will be publiclyexposed.

In recent years womens rfashions have changed radically in that thelength of ladies skirts has been greatly shortened so that the hemlinegenerally falls at or above the knee. Furthermore, it is now quitecommon to see women wearing a miniskirt which is a ladies skirt with ahemline well above the knee of the wearer so that a substantial portionof the thigh is often publicly exposed even when the wearer standsupright. In either case, with normal present fashions or withmini-skirts, it is obvious that the hem of the skirt will ride up thewearers leg when the wearer bends, stoops, kneels, or sits, therebyexposing even a larger portion of the thigh than when the wearer standsin the upright position.

In the past women have supported their long sheer stockings in a varietyof ways which include garters, rolling down the welt of the stocking toa point just above the knee or attaching the welt of the stocking to agirdle, garter belt, or the like, in any number of ways. All thesemethods, regardless of their efliciency, result in an unsightlytransition from the stocking to the supporting mechanism which isdispleasing to the eye and was never meant to be exposed publicly. Thisdisadvantage is overcome by the present invention.

The change in ladies fashions, however, has now necessitated agirdle-stocking combination which provides a smooth decorative line onthe wearers leg with a substantially undiscernible means of attachmentto the girdle since this portion of the wearers leg is now frequentlyexposed publicly.

Girdle-stocking combinations in the past which have the leg portions ofthe girdle overlying the sheer stocking used bands of elastic materialonthe inside of the leg portion of the girdle for frictionally engagingthe stocking to keep it taut on the wearers leg. These devices, withouta positive engagement between girdle and stocking, were not effective inkeeping the stocking taut and resulted in sagging when the wearer bendsthe leg, and

3,469,583 Patented Sept. 30, 1969 such devices did not use a decorativestretch lace. Both of these problems are overcome by the presentinvention.

Other devices which used clips, buttons or other positive means ofengagement did not use a decorative stretch lace on the girdle nor werethey concerned with covering substantially the entire welt portion ofthe stocking or with forming a smooth, decorative line between thestocking and girdle which was pleasing to the eye when viewed in publicand smooth under slacks which are now in vogue. These disadvantages areovercome by the present invention.

The customary use of two garters (front and back) causes an uneven pullbetween girdle and stocking on two sides of the stockings, with thestocking extending down on the other two sides, causing a gap, thestocking sagging sometimes as far down as the knee. With the presentinvention, the stocking can be attached in two, three or more places todistribute tension around the leg, without the bulk associated withgarters and the added expense of attaching garters to the girdle can beeliminated.

In the past, at least two garters on a woven elastic edge have been usedto attach the stocking to the girdle. With the present invention themanufacurer can replace the woven material, the garters, and the bodyfabric by a certain width of elastic lace which would be less expens1ve.The sewing labor to attach lace to a girdle is the same as attaching thewoven elastic, and the price of the lace is no more expensive than thebody fabric, so there is a net saving of garters and woven leg band.

It is an object of this invention to provide a girdlestockingcombination which has a smooth decorative line between the top of a longsheer ladies stocking and the leg portion of the girdle to which thestocking is attached and to cover substantially all of the welt portionof the stocking.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a positive means ofattachment between the stocking and girdle to insure that the stockingdoes not become loosened or sag on the wearers leg.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide a means ofattaching the stocking to the girdle at different heights on the leg ofthe wearer so as to accommodate wearers of various heights.

Another object of the present invention is to give smooth line underslacks, ski-wear, or the like without use of garters.

Another object of the present invention is to prevent sagging ofstockings at knee and back by the use of more attachments.

Other objects will become clear upon a further reading of thisinvention.

Summary of the invention This invention provides for a ladies girdle forthe lower torso which has depending leg portions, the bottom of each ofwhich is made out of stretch lace. The stretch lace with a patternedmotif thereon is provided with a series of eyelets spaced a art fromeach other in a horizontal row around the leg portion of the girdle. Thelong sheer stocking is provided with a series of hooks, buttons or othermeans grommeted, heat sealed, or sewn to the top of the stocking andsimilarly spaced apart from each other to form a horizontal row of hooks(or attachers) around the top of the stocking. The hooks of the stockingare small and are attached to the stocking so that the hooks faceoutward from the leg and so that the lace portion of the girdle may besuperimposed over the top of the stocking, the hooks of the stockingengaging the eyelets of the lace and the hooks being substantiallyundiscernible to the eye. The welt of the stocking can be tucked underthe lace since the lace portion of the girdle is sufficiently long tosubstantially cover the Brief description of the drawing A descriptionof the drawings of the present invention follows:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention in useon a wearer.

FIG. 2 is a front view of one leg of a wearer, in partial sectionshowing one embodiment of the stocking and engaging means attached tothe top of the stocking.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective of the engaging meansshown in FIGURE 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial side view in section of the embodimentshown in FIG. 1 and showing the manner of engagement.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective, showing an alternateembodiment of the engaging means attached to the top of the stocking.

Description of the preferred embodiments As shown in FIG. 1, a girdle 1is provided which fits generally the lower torso, although a full lengthgirdle could also be used. Depending from the main portion of the girdleare the leg portions 2, 3, which cover a portion of the thigh of thewearer. The main part of the girdle is of a stretch material that iswell known in the art. The lower portion 4, 5 of each leg portion of thegirdle, however, is made out of a stretch lace having a fancy motifpatterned therein. This stretch lace is preferably made of leavers laceor rachel lace.

The lace portion 4, 5 of the leg portions 2, 3 of the girdle 1 areprovided with a series of eyelets 6, which are simply small holespreferably placed throughout the circumference of the lace whichsurrounds the leg of the wearer. The eyelets are spaced horizontallyapart from each other to form a horizontal row around the entire laceportion of girdle. As shown in FIG. 1, preferably there are a pluralityof horizontal rows located at graduated heights on the lace portion ofthe girdle. The separation between adjacent rows is not critical, andmay be any convenient distance, for example A or /2". The height of theentire lace portion is not critical and may be about 1", for example, ifonly one horizontal row of eyelets is to be provided, or may be as muchas about 4" or 5 if several rows of eyelets are to be provided. The onlyrequirement is that there be a sufiicient length of lace portion belowthe bottom row of eyelets so as to substantially cover the entire weltof the nylon stocking when the lace is superimposed thereover, as morefully described below.

One embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 1 with a long sheerstocking 7, preferably nylon, being provided. In this embodiment thestocking 7 has a welt portion 8 at its upper end. Grommeted or otherwiseafiixed to the welt portion 8 of the stocking is a series of eyeletengaging means 9, called attachers, spaced apart from each otherhorizontally to form a horizontal row of attachers around the top of thestocking as more clearly shown in FIG. 2. The attachers 9 are preferablyhooks as shown in FIG. 3, but may be buttons as shown in FIG. 4,- or thelike. Only one row of hooks 9 need be provided, since the accommodationfor different heights is preferably accomplished by having a pluralityof rows of eyelets in the lace portion of the girdle. However, ifdesired, a plurality of rows of hooks may be provided. The horizontalrow of hooks 9 is located at a distance above the bottom edge of thewelt 8 of the stocking which .4 is important with respect to the laceportion 4, 5 of the girdle. The hooks 9 are preferably located on thewelt 8 so that the welt portion of the stocking below the hooks 9 issmaller than the lace portion of the girdle below the row of eyeletswhich engages the hooks. Thus, substantially the entire welt of thestocking will be covered by the lace of the girdle so that a smoothdecorative line is formed between the stocking and the bottom edge ofthe lace of the girdle, Preferably, no portion of the welt will bevisible below the bottom edge of the lace, as shown in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the hooks 9 are grommeted to the welt 8 ofthe stocking so that the eyelet engaging part of the hook faces awayfrom the leg of the wearer. The reason for this is that the stocking 7will be placed underneath the lace 4, 5 of the girdle, the lace beingsuperimposed over the hooks and the welt of the stocking, so that whenthe hooks are engaged in the eyelets of the lace, the hooks will besubstantially undiscernible to the eye.

Horizontal spacing between hooks is not important since two, three orfour hooks can be used and the eyelets in the lace are continuous andintegrated in the lace pattern, as is well know by those skilled in theart of lace making. In this way, lateral tension will be substantiallyeliminated.

The minimum number of hooks in a single row should be suflicient toadequately hold up the stocking all around the leg. In practice, it hasbeen found that at least two hooks placed around the top of the stockingare suflicient and adequate. In panty girdles they will be placedusually in the front and back of the leg and likewise on garter beltsand girdles. In the past, due to the bulk involved and the sensitivityof the skin on the inner thigh, it has not been practical to putattachments on the inner thigh portion of the garment, and the stockingshave had a tendency to sag. A greater number of hooks, for example 4,would be preferable and possible with the present invention to preventthe sag and creasing of the stocking, now a prevalent condition withcurrent model girdles.

It is not necessary to reinforce the eyelets 6 in such a manner that theeyelets do not have any tendency to rip when engaged with the hooks,since this can be done in the knitting of the lace itself in any one ofseveral methods well known in the art.

The operation of the above combination is simple. The wearer first putson the girdle 1. The long sheer stockings 7 are then put on over theleg, and pulled taut over the leg to the fully extended position. Thestretch lace portion 4, 5 of the girdle is then raised over the welt 8of the stocking and the hooks 9 are engaged in corresponding eyelets 6in a row located at a sufiicient height which is both comfortable to thewearer yet high enough to keep the stocking taut on the leg. Thus, therewill be no tendency for the hooks to disengage themselves from theeyelets when the wearer bends, sits, kneels, stoops, etc. The laceportion of the girdle, after being engaged with the hooks, is thenlowered and smoothed out 50 that it covers the entire welt of thestocking, as shown, in FIG. 1. Thus, a smooth decorative line betweenthe stocking and the bottom edge of the lace portion of the girdle isformed on the wearers leg.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that other embodrrnents andvariations may be utilized without departing from the substance of theinvention. Applicant does not intend to limit his invention to thespecific embodirnent shown in the drawings and described in thespec1fication.

I claim:

1 A girdle stocking combination comprising a girdle having depending legportions, stretch lace mounted as an annular band at respectiveextremities of the leg portrons of the girdle, said stretch lace havingeyelets at intervals therein, stockings, fastening means attached toupper ends of the stockings and projecting outwardly thereof forattachment selectively in the openings in the 5 stretch lace from theunderside of the latter so that said stretch lace thereafter overliessaid upper ends of the stockings and forms a smooth decorative lineconcealing the upper ends of said stockings.

2. A girdle stocking combination according to claim 1 wherein saideyelets are located at intervals at a plurality of levels in saidstretch lace.

3. For use in a girdle stocking combination, a girdle having dependingleg portions, stretch lace mounted as an annular band at respectiveextremities of the leg portions of the girdle, said stretch lace havingeyelets at intervals therein at several different levels for attachmentthereto at a selected level from the underside of the stretch lace ofhook means secured to upper ends of stockings so that the stretch lacethereafter overlies the upper ends of the stockings and forms a smoothdecorative line concealing said upper ends of said stocking.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1934 Henderson 2-240 12/1936Monette 2-70 1/1939 Fridolph 128535 3/1941 Hiller 128524 X 10/1942Kattermann et al. 128535 8/1967 Jones 128-535 6/1964 Gingras 128528FOREIGN PATENTS 3/1959 France. 6/1959 France.

15 ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R.

